I wanted to like this. I liked the premise a d I wanted to enjoy a book that so many others did not. Alas, it was not to be.

Like the other reviewers,I wanted to like this. I liked the premise a d I wanted to enjoy a book that so many others did not. Alas, it was not to be.

Like the other reviewers, I felt that there were too many viewpoints and they weren't arranged well. Switching between them within chapters didn't help the matter. I also hated the excerpts of Anna's book. It didn't add to the story at all and was more confusing than anything else. And while I thought that I'd enjoy knowing what the other "girls" were doing, the updates at the end of the book were disjointed a d completely unnecessary. We'd heard these women's names maybe twice total in the book and we're supposed to care about them? No. There were also too many questions that were left open that I would have liked to seen answered. ...more

Freedom Jane is spunky. She is not ladylike. Fifth grade is harder than fourth grade and nothing she does can please her mama. The only thing FreedomFreedom Jane is spunky. She is not ladylike. Fifth grade is harder than fourth grade and nothing she does can please her mama. The only thing Freedom really, really, really wants is to compete in the marble shooting tournament. But her mama says that marbles are for boys, and boys and girls shouldn't play together.

I adored Freedom -- she reminded me so much of myself at that age. The book is amusing and made me chuckle out loud a few times; but it also touches on some more serious subject matter like alcoholism. ...more